Backside metal patterning die singulation systems and related methods

ABSTRACT

Implementations of methods of singulating a plurality of die comprised in a substrate may include forming a plurality of die on a first side of a substrate, forming a backside metal layer on a second side of a substrate, applying a polymer layer over the backside metal layer and forming a groove entirely through the polymer layer and partially through a thickness of the backside metal layer. The groove may be located in a die street of the substrate. The method may also include etching through a remaining portion of the backside metal layer located in the die street, removing the polymer layer, singulating the plurality of die in the substrate by removing substrate material in the die street.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.Provisional Patent Application 62/796,651, entitled “BACKSIDE METALPATTERNING DIE SINGULATION SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS” to Seddon, whichwas filed on Jan. 25, 2019, the disclosure of which is herebyincorporated entirely herein by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

Aspects of this document relate generally to die singulation systems andmethods. More specific implementations involve methods of singulatingsemiconductor die from a thinned substrate.

2. Background

Semiconductor devices include integrated circuits found in commonelectrical and electronic devices, such as phones, desktops, tablets,other computing devices, and other electronic devices. The devices areseparated through singulating a wafer of semiconducting material into aplurality of semiconductor die. Various layers may be coupled to thefront side and/or the backside of the wafer. Upon singulation, the diecan be mounted on a package and electrically integrated with the packagewhich may then be used in the electrical or electronic device.

SUMMARY

Implementations of methods of singulating a plurality of die comprisedin a substrate may include forming a plurality of die on a first side ofa substrate, forming a backside metal layer on a second side of asubstrate, applying an organic layer over the backside metal layer andforming a groove entirely through the organic layer and partiallythrough a thickness of the backside metal layer. The groove may belocated in a die street of the substrate. The method may also includeetching through a remaining portion of the backside metal layer locatedin the die street, removing the organic layer, singulating the pluralityof die in the substrate by removing substrate material in the diestreet.

Implementations of methods of singulating a plurality of die in asubstrate may include one, all, or any of the following:

The method may include thinning the second side of the substrate.

A thickness of the backmetal layer may be 10 micrometers.

The groove may be formed using either a laser beam or a saw blade.

Etching may include wet etching through the remaining portion of thebackside metal layer. The backside metal layer may be copper.

Removing substrate material in the die street may include using one of alaser beam or a saw blade.

The method may include remote plasma healing a sidewall of the die.

Removing substrate material in the die street may include plasmaetching.

Implementations of methods of singulating a plurality of die in asubstrate may include forming a plurality of die on a first side of asubstrate, forming a backside metal layer on the second side of asubstrate, applying an organic layer over the backside metal layer,forming a groove entirely through the organic layer and partiallythrough the backside metal layer in a die street, and etching thebackside metal layer. The etch may expose a portion of the substrate inthe die street. The method may also include removing the organic layerand singulating the plurality of die in the substrate through plasmaetching at the portion of the substrate exposed by the etching.

Implementations of methods of singulating a plurality of die in asubstrate may include one, all, or any of the following:

The method may include thinning the second side of the substrate and thesubstrate may be thinned to less than 50 micrometers thick.

The method may include thinning the second side of the substrate and thesubstrate may be thinned to less than 30 micrometers thick.

The groove may be formed using either a laser beam or a saw blade.

Etching may include wet etching through the remaining portion of thebackside metal layer. The backside metal layer may be copper.

A portion of the backside metal layer may be between the groove and thesubstrate, and the portion may have a thickness of five micrometers.

The backside metal layer may have a thickness of 10 micrometers.

Implementations of methods of singulating a plurality of die in asubstrate may include forming a plurality of die on a first side of asubstrate, forming a backside metal layer on the second side of asubstrate, applying a photoresist layer over the backside metal layer,patterning the photoresist layer using either a laser beam or a sawblade, and forming a groove partially through the backside metal layerin a die street using either the laser beam or the saw blade. Formingthe groove and patterning the photoresist layer may be donesimultaneously. The method may also include etching through the backsidemetal layer in the die street, removing the photoresist layer, andsingulating the plurality of die in the substrate through removingsubstrate material of the substrate in the die street.

Implementations of methods of singulating a plurality of die in asubstrate may include one, all, or any of the following:

Removing substrate material in the die street may include plasmaetching.

Etching may include wet etching through the remaining portion of thebackside metal layer. The backside metal layer may be copper.

Removing substrate material in the die street may include using one of alaser beam or a saw blade.

The method may include monitoring the formation of the groove using acamera facing the second side of the substrate.

The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will beapparent to those artisans of ordinary skill in the art from theDESCRIPTION and DRAWINGS, and from the CLAIMS.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations will hereinafter be described in conjunction with theappended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional side view of a portion of a substrate;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional side view of a plurality of layers coupledto a first side of the substrate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view of the substrate and plurality of layers of FIG. 2 in aflipped orientation;

FIG. 4 is a view of the substrate and plurality of layers of FIG. 3 withthe substrate thinned;

FIG. 5 is a view of the thinned substrate and plurality of layers ofFIG. 4 with a backside metal layer coupled to the second side of thesubstrate;

FIG. 6 is a view of a polymer layer formed over the backside metal layerof FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a view of the backside metal layer of FIG. 6 having a grooveformed partially therein;

FIG. 8 is a view of the backside metal layer of FIG. 7 having a grooveformed entirely therethrough;

FIG. 9 is a view of the substrate of FIG. 8 singulated into a pluralityof die;

FIG. 10 is a view of a backside metal layer having a groove formedentirely therethrough;

FIG. 11 is a view of the substrate of FIG. 10 singulated into aplurality of die; and

FIG. 12 is a view of the plurality of die of FIG. 11 having smoothsidewalls.

DESCRIPTION

This disclosure, its aspects and implementations, are not limited to thespecific components, assembly procedures or method elements disclosedherein. Many additional components, assembly procedures and/or methodelements known in the art consistent with the intended die singulationsystems and related methods will become apparent for use with particularimplementations from this disclosure. Accordingly, for example, althoughparticular implementations are disclosed, such implementations andimplementing components may comprise any shape, size, style, type,model, version, measurement, concentration, material, quantity, methodelement, step, and/or the like as is known in the art for such diesingulation systems and related methods, and implementing components andmethods, consistent with the intended operation and methods.

Referring to FIG. 1, a cross sectional side view of a portion of asubstrate 2 is illustrated. The term “substrate” refers to asemiconductor substrate as a semiconductor substrate is a common type ofsubstrate, however, “substrate” is not an exclusive term that is used torefer to all semiconductor substrate types. Similarly, the term“substrate,” may refer to a wafer as a wafer is a common type ofsubstrate, however, “substrate” is not an exclusive term that is used torefer to all wafers. The various semiconductor substrate types disclosedin this document that may be utilized in various implementations may be,by non-limiting example, round, rounded, square, rectangular, or anyother closed shape. In various implementations, the substrate 2 mayinclude a substrate material such as, by non-limiting example, singlecrystal silicon, silicon dioxide, glass, gallium arsenide, sapphire,ruby, silicon-on-insulator, silicon carbide, polycrystalline oramorphous forms of any of the foregoing, and any other substratematerial useful for constructing semiconductor devices. In particularimplementations, the substrate may be a silicon-on-insulator substrate.

Referring to FIG. 2, a cross sectional side view of a plurality oflayers coupled to a first side of the substrate of FIG. 1 isillustrated. In various implementations, before singulating a pluralityof die from the substrate 2, the method of forming a plurality of diemay include forming a plurality of die on the substrate. This mayinclude forming a plurality of layers 4 on a first side 6 the substrate2. As illustrated by FIG. 2, the plurality of layers 4 may be patterned,and in various implementations, may be patterned (or otherwise removed)to not be over a die street 8 in the substrate 2. The plurality oflayers may include, by non-limiting example, one or more metal layers,one or more passivation layers, any other layer, and any combinationthereof. In various implementations passivation layers may include, bynon-limiting example, silicon nitride, oxides, metal electrical teststructures, electrical test pads, silicon dioxide, polyimides, metalpads, residual underbump metallization (UBM), any combination thereof,and any other layer or material capable of facilitating electrical orthermal connection between the one or more semiconductor die and/orprotecting the one or more semiconductor die from contaminants. Invarious implementations, the plurality of die may include powersemiconductor devices, such as, by non-limiting example, a MOSFET, anIGBT, or any other power semiconductor device. In other implementations,the plurality of die may include non-power semiconductor devices.

Referring to FIG. 3, a view of the substrate and plurality of layers ofFIG. 2 in a flipped orientation is illustrated. The method of formingand singulating a plurality of die includes flipping the substrate and,though not illustrated, in various implementations, the method mayinclude applying a tape to a first side 10 of the plurality of layers 4.Such a tape may be a backgrind tape in various implementations.Referring to FIG. 4, a view of the substrate and plurality of layers ofFIG. 3 with the substrate thinned is illustrated. In variousimplementations, the method of forming and singulating a plurality ofdie may include thinning the second side 12 of the substrate 2. Invarious implementations, the substrate 2 may be thinned to a thicknessless than 50 micrometers (μm). In other implementations, the substrate 2may be thinned to a thickness less than 30 μm. In still otherimplementations, the substrate 2 may be thinned to a thickness less than100 μm, more than 100 μm, and in other various implementations, thesubstrate 2 may not be thinned. In particular implementations, thesubstrate 2 may be thinned to a thickness of about 25 μm, and in otherparticular implementations, the substrate may be thinned to a thicknessof about 75 μm. The substrate 2 may be thinned through backgrinding,etching, or any other thinning technique. In particular implementations,the substrate is thinned using a backgrinding process marketed under thetrade name TAIKO by DISCO of Tokyo, Japan to form an edge ring that cansupport the thinned wafer.

Referring to FIG. 5, a view of thinned substrate and plurality of layersof FIG. 4 with a backside metal layer coupled to the second side of thesubstrate is illustrated. The method of forming a plurality of die andsingulating the plurality of die includes forming a backside metal layer14 on the second side 12 of the substrate 2. In particularimplementations, the backside metal layer 14 may be copper or a copperalloy. In other implementations, the backside metal layer may includeany other type of metal, alloy thereof, or combination thereof. Invarious implementations, the backside metal layer 14 may be about 10 μmthick. In other implementations, the backside metal layer may be more orless thick than 10 μm, and in particular implementations, the backsidemetal layer 14 may be about 15 μm thick. The backside metal layer 14 maybe evaporated onto the substrate 2, however, in other implementations(including implementations having thicker substrates and/or thickerbackside metal layers), the backside metal layer 14 may be plated ontothe substrate 2 or formed on the substrate using another technique. Invarious implementations, the backside metal layer 14 may be formed overthe entire second side 12 of the substrate 2. In such implementations,the backside metal layer 14 may strengthen the substrate 2.

Referring to FIG. 6, a view of an organic layer formed over the backsidemetal layer of FIG. 4 is illustrated. In various implementations, theorganic layer may include, by non-limiting example, a polymer, resin,photoresist, any combination thereof, or any other carbon-containingcompound or mixture. The method of forming a plurality of die andsingulating the plurality of die includes applying an organic/polymerlayer 18 over the backside metal layer 14, and in variousimplementations, over the entire second side 16 of the backside metallayer 14. In various implementations, the polymer layer 18 may bedirectly coupled to the second side 16 (opposite the first side 20) ofthe backside metal layer 14. While the implementations disclosed hereinrefer to applying a polymer layer 18 over the backside metal layer 14,it is understood that in other implementations other layers, such as anon-polymer photoresist layer, may be used. In such implementations, theother layers are resistant to a wet etch used to remove the backsidemetal layer 14 as disclosed later herein. While it is understood that aphotoresist layer may be used in place of the polymer layer, in variousimplementations a basic and inexpensive polymer layer may be used ratherthan a more expensive photoresist layer as the method of singulating aplurality of die does not include a exposing or developing processingstep. Thus, there may be no need to use a expensive photoresist materialin various method implementations. In various implementations, themethod may include applying the polymer layer 18 through spin coating orspraying the polymer layer 18 onto the backside metal layer 14. Invarious implementations, the polymer layer 18 may be about 1 μm thick,however, in other implementations the polymer layer may be less than ormore than 1 μm thick.

Prior to any actual singulation of a plurality of the die, the method ofsingulating the plurality of die in the substrate may include aligningthe substrate. In various implementations, the method may includealigning the substrate from the first side (which may be the front side,or bottom side as oriented in FIG. 6) using optics or a camera. In suchimplementations, the optics or camera may be placed below the substrateand may detect a plurality of alignment features formed on or within thesubstrate. In various implementations, the alignment features may beformed on or within the die street 8 of the substrate. Inimplementations having tape coupled to the first side 10 of theplurality of layers, the optics or camera may be configured to detectthe plurality of alignment features through the tape. In a particularimplementation, the substrate may be aligned using an infrared (IR)camera and IR alignment features. In other implementations, thesubstrate may be aligned from the backside, or second side 12 of thesubstrate. In such implementations, alignment features may be placed onthe polymer layer 18 covering the backside metal layer 14. Such featuresmay be placed according to corresponding alignment features on the frontside of the substrate. In other implementations where the substrateincludes a ring around the perimeter after thinning the substrate, themethod of aligning the substrate may include placing alignment featuresin the periphery of the substrate and grinding down the perimeter ring.The substrate may then be aligned from the backside, or second side 12of the substrate by using the alignment features along the outer edge ofthe device. Such an alignment method may include using IR spectroscopy.

Referring to FIG. 7, a view of the backside metal layer of FIG. 6 havinga groove formed partially therein is illustrated. The method ofsingulating a plurality of die in a substrate includes forming a groove24 in the die street 8 entirely through the polymer layer 18 andpartially through a thickness of the backside metal layer 14. In suchimplementations, a portion 26 of the backside metal layer 14 may remainbetween the groove 24 and the substrate 2. In this manner, the formationof the groove 24 is prevented from extending into the substrate 2, andin turn, may prevent damage to the substrate. In variousimplementations, the portion 26 may have a thickness of 5 μm, while inother implementations the portion 26 may have a thickness of more thanor less than 5 μm. Similarly, in various implementations the groove 24may be 6 μm deep, while in other implementations the groove 24 may bemore or less deep than 6 μm. In various implementations, the groove 24may be as wide as the die street 8 or wider than the die street. Thegroove 24 may be formed through, by non-limiting example, a laser beam,a saw blade, a scribing stylus, or through jet ablation.

Because the polymer layer 18 within the die street 8 is removed at thesame time the groove 24 is formed, there is no need to use an expose anddevelop step with a photosensitive material to pattern the material.Indeed, the polymer layer 18 is patterned using the laser beam, sawblade, or other mechanism used to form the groove 24. In this manner thepolymer layer 18 (or in various implementations, the photoresist layer)is patterned simultaneously with the formation of the groove 24.

In order to ensure that the formation of the groove leaves the portion26 between the groove 24 and the substrate 2, care may be required toprevent the formation of the groove into the substrate or over thinningof the portion 26. In order to facilitate the formation of the groove 24not extending entirely through the backside metal layer 14 or overthinning the portion 26, in various implementations the method ofsingulating a plurality of die in a substrate may include activelymonitoring the formation of a groove 24 in the backside metal layer 14.In various implementations, a camera facing the polymer layer 18 may beused to actively monitor the formation of the groove 24. Activemonitoring may include monitoring the cleared backside metal and/ormeasuring the thickness variation of the removed backside metal layer ascompared to the original thickness of the backside metal layer. In suchimplementations, the method for singulating the plurality of die mayinclude making near-real-time adjustments to one or more laserparameters (or other grooving tool disclosed herein) using datacollected during the active monitoring of the formation of the groove24.

In particular implementations, near-real-time may include the cameramonitoring the formation of the groove 24 one inch behind the laser beamor saw blade (or other element forming the groove, such as a scribingstylus or water jet), and, based upon the data collected from themonitoring, immediately making adjustments to the parameters of thelaser beam or saw blade. In other implementations, near-real-time mayinclude the camera actively monitoring the formation of the groove lessthan one inch behind the laser beam or saw blade or more than one inchbehind the laser beam or saw blade. The parameters of the laser beamwhich may be adjusted may include, by non-limiting example, laser power,pulse, focal point, and/or speed of movement of the laser beam acrossthe backside metal layer 14. Similarly, if a saw blade, scribing stylus,or water jet is used to form the groove 24 parameters of the saw blade,scribing stylus, or water jet, such as speed or depth of the saw blade,speed or pressure of the stylus, or speed or pressure of the water jetmay be adjusted to prevent forming the groove through an entirethickness of the backside metal layer 14. In various implementations,especially implementations having a thinned substrate, active monitoringof the formation of the groove 24 may be critical as the process windowfor forming the groove may be more narrow. This is because the thicknessof the tape itself may vary by about 5 microns or more across the widthof the substrate due to variations in the tape and the adhesive. Throughsuch active monitoring and near-real-time adjustments, any tilt in thesubstrate or chuck and any variations in the thickness of the tape andadhesive may be compensated for by adjusting the parameters of thelaser, saw, or other groove forming mechanism. In this manner, thebackside metal layer 14 may have a groove 24 formed partially throughthe thickness of the backside metal layer without the groove beingformed into the substrate 2. Further, the portion 26 left between thegroove 24 and the substrate 2 may have a continuous thickness which mayprevent the wet etch of the portion 26 disclosed later herein fromextending into the substrate 2.

Referring to FIG. 8, a view of the backside metal layer of FIG. 7 havinga groove formed entirely therethrough is illustrated. In variousimplementations, the method of singulating a plurality of die mayinclude etching through the remaining portion 26 of the backside metallayer 14 in the die street 8. The etch may be applied to the portion 26within the groove 24 without etching the rest of the second side 16 ofthe backside metal layer 14 as the rest of the second side of thebackside metal layer is protected by the polymer layer 18. In variousimplementations, the etch may expose a portion 28 of the substrate 2 inthe die street 8. In various implementations, the etch applied withinthe groove 24 may be a wet etch and may be sprayed into the groove 24.In other implementations the wet etch may be applied using a methodother then spraying, such as, by non-limiting example, bath, tank, ordunk etching. In various implementations, though not illustrated, tapemay be applied to the front side, or outer surface 30 of the pluralityof layers 4. The tape may protect the pads 60 of the plurality of diefrom the etch.

Referring to FIG. 9, a view of the substrate of FIG. 8 singulated into aplurality of die is illustrated. In various implementations, and asillustrated by FIG. 9, the method of singulating a plurality of die in asubstrate includes removing the polymer layer 18. In variousimplementations, the polymer layer 18 may be removed through, bynon-limiting example, an plasma ashing process or a solvent strippingprocess. In such implementations, any slag on the polymer layerresulting from laser ablating the groove 24 may be removed along withthe polymer layer 18. Thus, in such an implementation, the polymer layermay result in a cleaner die as the slag may be removed during theremoval of the polymer layer 18.

In various implementations, the plurality of die 32 may be singulatedthrough removing the substrate material of the substrate 2 in the diestreet 8. The substrate material may be removed through plasma etchingat the portion 28 of the substrate 2 exposed by the etching. In variousimplementations, a plasma etch process marketed under the tradenameBOSCH® by Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart Germany (the “Bosch process”),may be used to singulate the substrate 2 into a plurality of die 32. Inother implementations, other plasma etch processes may be used tosingulate the plurality of die 32 from the substrate 2. In variousimplementations, though not illustrated, singulating the plurality ofdie 32 included in the substrate through plasma etching may includeremoving a portion of the substrate material of the substrate having awidth less than a width of the die street, or groove. In suchimplementations, the width of the removed portion from plasma etching isless than the width of the die street as plasma die singulation iscapable of creating a die street more narrow than the die street createdthrough a laser beam or a saw. In other implementations, and asillustrated by FIG. 9, the width of the removed substrate material inthe die street 8 may be the same as the width of the die street bysingulating the plurality of die 32 through removing through plasma etchall of the substrate material of the substrate 2 in the die street 8.

Referring to FIG. 10, a view of a backside metal layer having a grooveformed entirely therethrough is illustrated. The substrate 38, backsidemetal layer 40, polymer layer 42, groove 44, and plurality of layers 46may be the same as or similar to the substrate, backside metal layer,polymer layer, groove, and plurality of layers illustrated by FIG. 8.Further, the substrate 38, backside metal layer 40, polymer layer 42,groove 44, and plurality of layers may be formed using any methodpreviously disclosed herein. Referring to FIG. 11, a view of thesubstrate of FIG. 10 singulated into a plurality of die is illustrated.In various implementations, and as previously disclosed herein, themethod of singulating a plurality of die in a substrate includesremoving the polymer layer 42. The polymer layer 42 may be removed usingany method disclosed herein. Further, the method of singulating aplurality of die includes removing substrate material in the die street48. In various implementations, and as illustrated by FIG. 11, thesubstrate material in the die street 48 may be removed using either alaser beam or a saw blade. In such implementations, the laser beam orsaw blade may result in roughened sidewalls 50 of the die street 48 orof the plurality of die 52. In such implementations, the method ofsingulating a plurality of die 52 from the substrate may include remoteplasma healing a sidewall of each die (or sidewall 50 of the die street48) of the plurality of die. Referring to FIG. 12, a view of theplurality of die of FIG. 11 having smoothed sidewalls is illustrated. Invarious implementations, the method of singulating the plurality of diemay include removing damage from a sidewall 50 of the die street 48through remote plasma healing. In such implementations, an isotropicplasma etch may be applied to the sidewalls 50 of the die street 48. Theplasma may penetrate/facilitate reaction with the materials of thecracks and/or chips of the sidewalls 50 formed when the plurality of die52 were singulated from the substrate 38. As the plasma enters thecracks and/or chips, the damaged portion of the substrate 38 may etchaway and result in smoothed, or healed, sidewalls 50 of the die street48, as illustrated by FIG. 12.

In other implementations, a laser beam or saw blade may be used tosingulate a plurality of die without passing entirely through thebackside metal layer. In such implementations, the laser beam or sawblade may remove any remaining backside metal layer material in the sawstreet along with any substrate material in the saw street. In variousimplementations, the two-step laser ablation process may preventre-deposition of the backside metal layer into the substrate as thebackside metal layer in the die street will be cleared away prior to thesingulation of the plurality of die.

In various implementations, the method of singulating a plurality of diefrom a substrate may include depositing a diffusion barrier layerbetween the backside metal layer and the substrate. In suchimplementations, the diffusion barrier layer may serve as an etch stopwhen the portion of the backside metal layer in the die street isetched. The diffusion barrier layer may also prevent migration of thebackside metal layer into the substrate during the etch. Inimplementations having a diffusion barrier layer, the portion of thediffusion barrier layer in the die street may be removed using a laserbeam or a saw blade. In such implementations, the method of singulatinga plurality of die from a substrate may include removing substratematerial of the substrate in the die street using any method of removingsubstrate material disclosed herein.

In the various implementations disclosed herein, by removing or reducingthe thickness of the backside metal layer in the die street, the risk ofre-deposition of the backside material along the sidewalls of each dieof the plurality of die is reduced. Further, because variousimplementations disclosed herein include methods of singulating aplurality of die from a second side, or backside of the substrate, thereis no need to flip the substrate over in order to singulate thesubstrate from the first side, or side having the plurality of dieformed thereon. The ability to singulate the die from the backside mayreduce damage to the substrate, and especially a thinned substrate, asit requires the substrate to be handled less. This may have the effectof increasing the yield of the overall process.

In places where the description above refers to particularimplementations of die singulation systems and related methods andimplementing components, sub-components, methods and sub-methods, itshould be readily apparent that a number of modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit thereof and that theseimplementations, implementing components, sub-components, methods andsub-methods may be applied to other die singulation systems and relatedmethods.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of singulating a plurality of diecomprised in a substrate, the method comprising: forming a plurality ofdie on a first side of a substrate; forming a backside metal layer on asecond side of the substrate; applying an organic layer over thebackside metal layer; forming a groove entirely through the organiclayer and partially through a thickness of the backside metal layer,wherein the groove is located in a die street of the substrate; etchingthrough a remaining portion of the backside metal layer located in thedie street; removing the organic layer; and singulating the plurality ofdie comprised in the substrate by removing substrate material in the diestreet.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising thinning the secondside of the substrate.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein a thickness ofthe backside metal layer is 10 micrometers.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein the groove is formed using one of a laser beam or a saw blade.5. The method of claim 1, wherein etching further comprises wet etchingthrough the remaining portion of the backside metal layer, wherein thebackside metal layer comprises copper.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinremoving substrate material in the die street further comprises usingone of a laser beam or a saw blade.
 7. The method of claim 6, furthercomprising remote plasma healing a sidewall of the plurality of die. 8.The method of claim 1, wherein removing substrate material in the diestreet further comprises plasma etching.
 9. A method of singulating aplurality of die comprised in a substrate, the method comprising:forming a plurality of die on a first side of a substrate; forming abackside metal layer on a second side of the substrate; applying anorganic layer over the backside metal layer; forming a groove entirelythrough the organic layer and partially through the backside metal layerin a die street; etching the backside metal layer, wherein the etchexposes a portion of the substrate in the die street; removing theorganic layer; and singulating the plurality of die comprised in thesubstrate through plasma etching at the portion of the substrate exposedby the etching.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising thinningthe second side of the substrate, wherein the substrate is thinned toless than 50 micrometers thick.
 11. The method of claim 9, furthercomprising thinning the second side of the substrate, wherein thesubstrate is thinned to less than 30 micrometers thick.
 12. The methodof claim 9, wherein the groove is formed using one of a laser beam or asaw blade.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein etching further compriseswet etching the backside metal layer, wherein the backside metal layercomprises copper.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein a portion of thebackside metal layer is between the groove and the substrate, theportion having a thickness of five micrometers.
 15. The method of claim9, wherein the backside metal layer has a thickness of 10 micrometers.16. A method of singulating a plurality of die comprised in a substrate,the method comprising: forming a plurality of die on a first side of asubstrate; forming a backside metal layer on a second side of thesubstrate; applying a photoresist layer over the backside metal layer;patterning the photoresist layer using one of a laser beam or a sawblade; forming a groove partially through the backside metal layer in adie street using one of the laser beam or the saw blade, wherein formingthe groove and patterning the photoresist layer are done simultaneously;etching through the backside metal layer in the die street; removing thephotoresist layer; and singulating the plurality of die comprised in thesubstrate through removing substrate material of the substrate in thedie street.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein removing substratematerial in the die street further comprises plasma etching.
 18. Themethod of claim 16, wherein etching further comprises wet etchingthrough the backside metal layer, wherein the backside metal layercomprises copper.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein removing substratematerial in the die street further comprises using one of a laser beamor a saw blade.
 20. The method of claim 16, further comprisingmonitoring a formation of the groove using a camera facing the secondside of the substrate.